courses

[BrokenBiker]

just out of interest, how long is the shortest nvq welding course?

while I was an apprentice spark (NVQ not C&G) I did a course with a local fab shop that mainly did boat stuff out of S/S and ally.

anyway, the course comprised of 1 day a week for 6 weeks, and I was told it was the equivalent of an nvq2 in MMA, but as my company wouldn't pay for the papers, we never got a certificate for it.

is this 6 day course really enough to pass an nvq2? all we did was spend 2 days running beads, 2 days running butts and fillets with 3.2mm rods from a buzz box, then the last 2 days we fusion tigged a stainless tool box as they had run out of scrap for us to play with.

we were given a copy of the nvq level 2 cross referencing booklet but never filled it out as we weren't going to submit them.

I really want papers in arc welding as at the moment I cant get insurance to do it alongside being a spark (even though I still do the odd repair job on a gate or fence) but am getting a few calls for it lately and thought id ask.

im confident that I would pass without too much trouble, not trying to sound big headed, but ive been doing it for about 2 years now, and from what I was shown and told on the 6 day course my welds are fine and passed etch test on butt, fillet and lap on 6mm plate welded root, 2 passes over that then capped with a weave over the top of it all (mainly just for practice). also welded in all positions (incl overhead) with 6013 and either 6010 or 6011

 

[lshigham]

I'm did my NVQ's at a place that also does welding quals, they are given 6 weeks to complete a level 2 NVQ, three training and three to do the test welds and mind numbing paperwork. In all honesty you could do it in a lot less though.

 

[BrokenBiker]

there were no actuall weld tests on the course I did, but because I had experience welding before going on the course they cut on of my fillets open and etched it.

but it does sound as if the course I did was genuine then, same time and if we hadn't donw the tigged box we would have had time for the test welds and paperwork

as I have the photos of the welds I did, the job wirte ups required to complete the paperwork and the actual nvq specification in a drawer in the house I might contact the EAL and see what they say about it.